VIPs shun police escort to cross Narmada.

SURAT,BHARUCH: A day after TOI reported how easily VVIPs attending BJP chintan shibir easily managed to wade through the otherwise jammed NH8 near Bharuch using police escort vehicles, several refused any special arrangements to cross over Narmada river on Sunday.
Top police officials told TOI that there had been no demand from any VIP or VVIP on Sunday when many were returning to Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar from the chintan shibir held near Surat.
At least three state ministers and some BJP leaders had asked for police escorts to cross the Sardar Bridge on Saturday.
"There were no major traffic issues on Sunday like the last week and vehicles moved smoothly since morning," said Bharuch collector Dr Vikrant Pandey.
Bharuch superintendent of police Shobha Bhutada said the police department had not received any requests of VIPs for police escorts or any other help.
"Things are falling in place and we will see to that common traffic is not affected on normal days," she said.
Fifty traffic brigade jawans that were allotted to Bharuch are already on job and have started easing the traffic movements wherever required.
Raju Desai, a resident of Surat who was on his way to Ahmedabad said, "I chose Sunday to travel and started 6am to avoid traffic jam. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I crossed the Golden Bridge in 15 minutes."